Tag: Italian

Baked Ziti

delicious penne pasta topped with grated cheese in macro shot
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Baked Ziti

This was actually based on a cannelini recipe that we found here: https://www.recipetineats.com/wprm_print/23117
We didn't have cannelloni shells, so we punted, and it turned out really good!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: dinner, pasta
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 2 qt. pot for sauce
  • 4 qt.+ pot for pasta
  • 13"x9" pan We use a Pyrex pan

Ingredients

Sauce (you need LOTS! – NOTE: you can also use a 25 oz. jar of good marinara):

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 4 garlic clove minced
  • 1 bay leaf fresh (sub dried)
  • 1/2 tsp each dried thyme and oregano
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 800 g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock/broth low sodium
  • 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine sub more stock
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/3 tsp black pepper
  • 2/3 cup basil leaves roughly torn (recommended but not critical)

Filling:

  • 250 g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed (Note 1)
  • 500 g / 1 lb ricotta (we used fresh farmers' market – yum!) full fat please (Note 2)
  • 1/3 cup parmesan finely shredded
  • 1 cup shredded cheese Mozzarella, Colby, Cheddar, Tasty, Gruyere, Swiss
  • 1 egg
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • Grated fresh nutmeg just a sprinkling or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder (optional – we didn't add)
  • 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Pasta and topping

  • 1 lb. pasta ziti or penne work best
  • 1/3 cup parmesan finely shredded
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded Mozzarella
  • More basil and parmesan for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Sauce (if not using jarred):

  • Sauté – Heat oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  • Reduce wine – Add wine, increase heat to high and let it simmer rapidly until mostly evaporated (about 2 minutes).
  • Simmer – Add tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir then simmer on medium low for 20 minutes.
  • Blitz – Remove bay leaf then blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Simmer for 1 more minute then remove from the stove
  • Basil – Stir in basil then cover to keep warm until required.

Filling:

  • Squeeze spinach – Place spinach in a colander and press out most of the liquid (don’t need to thoroughly squeeze dry).
  • Mix filling – Place Spinach in bowl with remaining Filling ingredients. Mix, taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste (different cheeses have different saltiness).

Assemble & Bake:

  • Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
  • Smear/Spread ~1 cup of Sauce on the base of the pan (stops pasta from sliding around).
  • Distribute a layer of about 1/2 the pasta
  • Spread the ricotta-spinach filling more or less evenly on top of the pasta
  • Distribute the remainder of the pasta on top of the filling
  • Pour/spread the remainder of the sauce over the pasta (it should cover
  • Bake covered (but naked) – Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes.
  • Cheese it! Remove foil, scatter over parmesan then mozzarella. Return to oven for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
  • Serve, garnished with extra parmesan and basil if desired.

Notes

1. Spinach – Though the recipe calls for frozen, we used fresh. To use fresh, use about 500g/1 lb sliced spinach leaves or baby spinach leaves, saute with a little oil to wilt down and remove excess liquid (important!). Cool then proceed with recipe.
2. Ricotta – We used fresh ricotta from the farmers’ market, and it was terrific! Use whole milk ricotta. Low fat ricotta is harder and drier, so it’s more difficult to pipe into the tubes plus once baked, is not as juicy and moist. Avoid Perfect Italian brand in tubs. My favourite is Paesanella.
3. For FREEZING or refrigerating uncooked: Add extra 3/4 cup water* into Sauce, cook Sauce per recipe then blend* until smooth. Place filled, uncooked cannelloni in single or multiple dishes, cover with sauce (will look like LOTS!) then cheese. Cover, cool then freeze / refrigerate.
On the day of, thaw then bake per recipe (covered then uncovered). OR bake from frozen, bake covered 35 minutes then uncovered 10 minutes.

Baked Zucchini Fries

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BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI

Crisp, tender zucchini sticks oven-roasted to perfection. It’s healthy, nutritious and completely addictive!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 4 zucchini quartered lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Notes

Yummy!
These can be reheated in the oven.
SOURCE: https://damndelicious.net/2014/06/21/baked-parmesan-zucchini

Creamy Tomato Soup

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Creamy Tomato Soup

This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a larger group—and makes for great leftovers. For a lighter soup, omit the cream; or for a little decadence, add more cream or swirl in a little crème fraîche. GOES WELL WITH GRILLED CHEESE!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: soup, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 10 sprigs thyme, tied together
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 28 ­ounce cans whole tomatoes
  • 1-2 tsp sugar divided
  • 1/4 cup or more heavy cream
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
  • Add thyme, onion, and garlic.
  • Cook until onion is completely soft and translucent, 10–12 minutes.
  • Increase heat to medium­-high; add tomato paste.
  • Continue cooking, stirring often, until paste has begun to caramelize in spots, 5–6 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes with juices, 1 tsp. sugar, and 8 cups water to pot.
  • Increase heat to high; bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce heat to medium.
  • Simmer until flavors meld and soup reduces to about 2 quarts (8 cups), 45–55 minutes.
  • Remove soup from heat; let cool slightly.
  • Discard thyme sprigs.
  • Working in small batches, purée soup in a blender (or in pot with stick blender) until smooth.
  • Return to pot.
  • DO AHEAD Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly, cover, and chill. Rewarm before continuing.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup cream.
  • Simmer soup until flavors meld, 10–15 minutes longer.
  • Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar.
  • Add more cream, if desired.

Notes

8 SERVINGS
ACTIVE: 30 MINUTES TOTAL: 1 1/4 HOURS
RECIPE BY Alison Roman

Minestrone Soup

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Hearty Minestrone

Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, this soup is a meal in itself. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: soup, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup thinly sliced Savoy cabbage
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 2 large stalks of celery sliced
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas drained
  • 1 cup dried fusilli pasta
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini or white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat.
  • Add garlic and onion and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
  • Add broth, cabbage, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and tomatoes with their juice, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
  • Add chickpeas, pasta and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Ladle soup into bowls and serve with cheese sprinkled over the top.

Notes

From Whole Foods

Eggplant Pizza

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Eggplant Pizzas

Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 large Italian (globe) eggplant
  • 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese approximately
  • Olive oil
  • Minced garlic or garlic powder optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Cut the eggplant into thin slices.
  • Arrange on a baking sheet or pizza pan.
  • Brush with olive oil.
  • Season with a small amount of garlic, if you wish.
  • Scatter 1-2 tbs worth of cheese on each slice of eggplant.
  • Put pan into oven.
  • Bake 10-12 min, until cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown.